Public Comment: A Costly Israeli Siege

'Born in Gaza' follows a family as they struggle to access medical care for their child. It's a heart-wrenching documentary which shows us a glimpse of how the blockade of Gaza is affecting families.

The story of Firas Al-Mazloom was caught on camera, one story out of possibly hundreds or thousands who suffer due to lack of proper treatment. Is it too much to ask for proper medical care in Gaza? Many operations cannot be conducted in Gaza, so patients have to be transfered to Israel or neighbouring countries such as Egypt. But even this process can be difficult and slow, resulting in few options.

The blockade has bought a once-thriving economy to its knees and the inferior healthcare has resulted in the suffering of Gazans. The title of this documentary is quite interesting in itself. It makes one wonder 'Is it my fault I was born in Gaza?'. More importantly, it makes me wonder how many more will die before the world acts, from heeding that the seige is inhumane and immoral.

We have to examine where we are as an ummah and what we have become. Allah swt tells us "Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves." [13:11]. Hence it is because of their character that the condition of a people can change from a superpower to the froth on the ocean.

So for the sake of those suffering in Palestine we, as one ummah, need to wake up and return to Allah.

WB